In this final part of our chat with filmmaker Apo Bazidi we talk about the technical aspects of his film Resistance is Life.

Shooting a documentary in an unpredictable environment such as a refugee camp or a war zone brings all sorts of challenges, especially if you are a one-person show producing a film all on your own. Apo tells us how he managed to get coverage from simultaneous events by recruiting fellow volunteers to help him get the necessary coverage at various locations.

In terms of gear, Apo was very limited in what he could carry, not only because he was working on his own but also because of issues such as safety and something so basic as access to electricity to recharge camera batteries. As a result, the entirety of Resistance is Life was shot on a Canon 7D and Canon 5D Mark III with a Rode on-camera shotgun microphone. Having ended up screening at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Resistance is Life is yet another example that story is always more important than gear.

Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”

Apo also tells us about his plans for the future after finishing the festival circuit with Resistance is Life, and gives us the latest update regarding Evlin, the 8 year-old Kurdish girl that became the protagonist of his documentary.

We hope to have Apo Bazidi ride with us again very soon, and we wish him the best of luck with Resistance is Life!

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